Second Trimester Baby!!!

Woohoo! Today is the beginning of the Second Trimester! (My favorite sentence is the last one in this weekly update!!!)

Week 13
How Big is the Baby at Thirteen Weeks Pregnant?
During pregnancy week 13 your baby is anywhere from 2 and a half to a little over 3 inches long and weighs up to .7 ounces. Though your baby is significantly larger by pregnancy 13 weeks, he is still pretty tiny. Fortunately there is plenty of room to expand in your uterus as you follow your pregnancy week by week!

Your Baby's Growth and Development
By the end of pregnancy week 13 your baby looks like a tiny yet fully formed baby. While your baby's head is still quite large, his body is starting to catch up. Your baby's eyes are starting to move closer together by pregnancy 13 weeks. Up until this point in time they rested closely along the sides of the head. Your baby's intestines are also moving further into their body, and your baby's tiny pancreas starts producing insulin, which will be vital for regulating your baby's sugar levels later in life!

Your Growth and Development
Your uterus is continuing to grow at pregnancy week 13, and as it does you may start feeling some aching or discomfort in your abdomen. This is perfectly normal. The ligaments that surround your uterus will stretch in the upcoming weeks to accommodate your baby, and this stretching often results in what is called round ligament pain.

Round ligament pain is fairly common by 13 weeks pregnant, but can be alarming if you have never experienced it before. It usually presents as a brief but sharp or stabbing pain in your abdomen, but you may also feel a dull ache in the lower abdomen that lasts for a short time. Most often women feel this when they get up suddenly or change position. You might feel this pain as you attempt to roll over swiftly in the bed.

Changes in You
Congratulations! For many women pregnancy week 13 is a time to celebrate. A pregnancy at 13 weeks means you are entering your second trimester, which means your risk for miscarriage drops substantially. You are much more likely to carry your baby to term now that you have made it to 13 weeks.